Unforeseen
by DancingMist
Summary: Actions often cause a ripple effect. Some results are expected but often are accompanied by the unforeseen as well. Sometimes you find yourself in positions you never expected doing things you'd swear you've never even considered before. This will be a Branch/Vic fic per request.
1. Chapter 1: Repentance

Branch opened the door, "What are you doin here?"

"Walt wanted your stuff brought over."

Branch took the box and walked over to the table to set it down, "And he asked you to bring it?" Branch was doubtful.

"Not exactly."

"Didn't figure he'd want you anywhere near me."

"Probably not. I hijacked Ferg downstairs."

"Hate to be Ferg when Walt finds out."

Branch walked back to stand in front of Vic.

She stood with her hands on her hips, glancing around his place.

"Aren't you afraid?"

"Should I be?" Vic asked looking up at him.

Branch reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "No, but I tried to hurt you."

Branch let his hand glide down to her neck, "I did hurt you."

"You'd been through hell."

"No excuse." His thumb gently stroked her jaw.

"Not makin one for ya." Vic held his gaze, trying to dismiss how his touch made her feel,"Plan on doin it again?"

"Never."

"What about the next time you get freaked out or pissed off."

Branch looked at the floor and moved his hand from her neck but looked back up and met her eyes as he said, "No. Never. I'm sorry Vic." Branch's pain and regret were palpable.

Vic smiled, "Good. Cause if there's a next time, after I recover from the initial shock; I'm kickin your ass."

Branch smiled, "Thanks Vic."

"For what?"

"Not treatin me like I'm fragile."

"You screwed up Branch. Now it's time to focus on what's next."

"Not sure what to do?"

"I suggest you start with a shave." Vic put her hand to his cheek touching his beard. "That way if they decide to send you to a nut house, you'll be the hottest nut there. Might earn you favor with the nurses."

Branch met her eyes, "You think I'm hot?"

Vic didn't know what possessed her to do that and so she dropped her hand and chose to not answer his question, "What's more important is that I think you're gonna be okay. Take it from someone who's screwed up plenty of her own."

"Maybe one day you'll be able to forgive me."

"Already have Branch. Time to move on."

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Ferg walked into the office, avoiding eye contact with Walt who stood talking at Ruby's desk.

"Any problems at Branch's?" Walt asked.

"Uh, well, I didn't go." Ferg managed to spit out as he made his way to his desk.

"Why not?"

"Well, uh, well."

"Spit it out Ferg." Walt could feel the unease begin to crawl up his spine.

"Vic took the box away from me and sent me to lunch. Said she'd do it."

"Ruby get Vic on the phone. I'll head out there. Patch her through if you get her." Walt said grabbing his hat and jacket from the coat rack.

Looking back at Ferg he asked, "She say anything else?"

"Only that she'd hurt me countless ways if I told you."

"Gonna have to stand in line." Walt said, "We'll discuss this later."

As Walt headed toward the door he could hear Vic's phone ringing on the landing.

As he made it just past Ruby's desk, Vic stepped in.

She knew she was in trouble as she faced Walt.

"My office Vic." Walt growled. "Ruby, don't wanna be interrupted."

Ruby nodded and exchanged worried looks with Ferg.

"What were you thinkin?" Walt asked as soon as the door closed behind Vic.

"That I needed to face my fears." Vic said firmly.

Walt stared at her.

Vic stared back.

"How'd it go then?"

"Fine. No problems at all." Vic thought to herself, 'Except I basically told him he was hot.'

"Good. Maybe we can all work through this and this department can come out the other end still intact and everything'll be fine."

Vic nodded.

'Sure, combine me tellin Branch he's hot with the mixed signals we keep exchangin and yep everythin's gonna be just fine. Oh not to mention that it definitely wasn't fear I felt when he touched me.'

"Got my hands full without you doin things you know I don't want you to do."

'Would that be goin out to Branch's, enjoyin his touch, touchin him, or maybe both? Care to weigh in on that? Of course not, I'm having this conversation with myself. Maybe I'll visit Branch if they do send him to the nut house. Nope, they might keep me.'

"Vic. Vic. Did ya hear me?"

Walt was lookin at her like…like she had checked out, "I'll try not to." Vic replied after recalling what statement had sent her on her silent rant.

"If Branch gets cleared to come back, you'll be able to work with him?"

"Yep." Vic said.

"Okay."


	2. Chapter 2: Shock

Vic watched Branch from a distance as they wheeled his father to surgery.

He was a bastard but he was still Branch's father and Branch had been the one to shoot him.

He stood watching the hall that his father had disappeared down.

His arms were crossed and his eyes were fixed, as if he stared long enough it would make someone come back and say it was all a mistake.

His father hadn't tried to kill him, hadn't been behind Martha's death.

He had gone through the questions with state police.

Couldn't risk the county being partial.

So far all the evidence backed up Branch and the state police were being thorough but they were also treating it pretty much open and shut self defense.

The lead officer had even gone as far as to say that unless something contradicted Branch or the evidence, then they wouldn't be there long but they couldn't afford to not examine all of the information.

Branch had been allowed to go to the hospital and wait.

It had taken some time until his father was stable enough to go into surgery and Branch had set in the waiting room the entire time alone.

Vic had finished her shift and Walt and Ferg were holding down the fort with instruction that she should check on Branch and they would be by later to do the same.

Besides she didn't have a great history of playing well with other officers.

She had been worried about Walt as well.

He had insisted that she not stay with him despite the effect the news had on him.

He was flooded with a mixture of emotions and the one thing he needed now was to work or at least accommodate the state police as much as they would allow.

Vic turned her thoughts back to the man that stood alone, still in the blood splattered white shirt he'd been wearing when he had been caught off guard by his father's gun pointed at him.

He would be dead now but his father had lost his footing as he pointed the gun at his son.

That gave Branch time to react and he reacted on instinct.

Vic thought about leaving.

They didn't have the best track record when it came to emotionally unstable times.

She did what she had always done, what Walt had taught her to fine tune.

She trusted her gut.

She walked up to him and touched his shoulder.

Branch turned and looked down at Vic.

"I shot my own father."

"He tried to shoot you."

Branch nodded and turned back to look down the hall.

"Come on Branch." Vic said pulling lightly on his forearm.

He followed her without saying anything.

She sat him down in a chair and said, "Wait here."

When she returned in a few minutes, he was still sitting quietly.

Vic took his hand, "Come on Branch."

"I need to stay here."

"I talked to the nurses; they know exactly where we'll be. Your father is going to be in surgery for hours. Now come on."

Branch stood and followed Vic who, he realized, was following a nurse.

When they came to a non-descript room the nurse smiled gently and opened the door but stayed outside, stepping aside for Vic to enter, pulling Branch inside by the hand she still held.

The nurse said, "We'll let you know as soon as we hear anything. Let me know if I can get you anything else."

Although the nurse was very polite, there was a tightness that even in his state led Branch to believe that a certain blond had not asked for their accommodations very nicely.

Vic pointed to a hospital bed, "Sit."

Branch did which brought him to a more manageable height for Vic.

Vic carefully pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it in the bag she'd been given.

She warmed a washcloth and gently cleaned blood from his neck and arms, then hands.

She lifted one boot and pulled it off, then the other.

He didn't question it, just cooperated.

"Stand up."

He did.

She started to unbuckle his belt which caused him to down at her with a questioning look.

"Have blood on your jeans too."

He nodded.

She unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans and pushed them down.

He automatically stepped out of them, leaving him in his boxer briefs.

Handing him scrub pants she said, "Put these on."

He followed directions and slipped the pants on.

"Here." She handed him the shirt and he pulled the shirt over his head.

"Wanna sit in the chair or on the bed."

"Bed's fine."

"I'll be right back."

Branch nodded as he sat back on the bed.

Vic came back in a minute with two cups of coffee, pushing one at Branch.

"I don't want one."

"Drink it."

Thankful for the pushy woman, Branch took the cup and sipped it as he tried to remember the last time someone took care of him like this.


	3. Chapter 3: Timing

Branch felt warm fingertips brushing his hair from his eyes. Branch thought how the tenderness of the touch felt so nice, comforting. He heard a woman's voice softly call his name once and then again. As Branch began to waken, he recognized the voice, Vic's voice. 'What is Vic doing… ?' Before he could finish that thought memories flooded over him. He opened his eyes sitting up quickly and scanned the room.

"Shh, it's okay." Vic said, "Just wanted to wake you because the nurse stopped by to say the doctor would be in to see you in a little bit."

Branch nodded and rubbed his face with both hands, then looked at her as she still stood beside the bed, "You didn't have to stay."

"Told you if you'd lay back and rest, I'd stay."

"Thanks, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

Vic smiled at him, "Funny cause I meant for you to. You needed the rest."

Branch nodded again.

"Feeling better?"

"I don't feel like everything is in slow motion anymore. It seems real which isn't so great but I don't feel like I'm in a fog watching from the outside anymore."

"I'm gonna go get us some coffee, wanna tag along, stretch your legs?"

"The doctor, I need to see him."

"She said a little bit and the coffee is just a door down, we won't miss him. Then you can change."

Seeing his confusion Vic gestured to the chair in the corner where he recognized his bag from the office. He kept it in his bottom drawer with extra clothes in it.

"Ferg came by."

"I think I'll change first." Branch said then naturally added, "Wanna help?" He slipped off the bed and headed toward the bag, "Sorry. It's just habit. I know this isn't the time for joking around, just…"

"It's okay Branch." Vic smiled, "It's a bad situation, doesn't change everything about who you are, even if it does feel like it might." Branch nodded and gave her a weak smile and then studied the floor.

Vic couldn't stop her mouth and so it continued without her permission, and obviously without much forethought, "Besides, my first reaction was to say yes so you're not the only one who should say sorry."

Branch looked up at her and tried to determine if she was being honest or if she was just trying to make him feel better. He couldn't tell and he decided he didn't want to know. If he didn't know then there was a chance that she was being honest which meant she had really thought about helping him. He wanted that to be the case. When had that happened? When had he decided that it would be a good idea to have Vic's hands on him as he dressed or undressed for that matter? As he thought about touching her neck with his thumb stroking her jaw that day at his house and the sensation that such a simple act had caused he let his mind wander back to what it would be like for her to undress him, when he wasn't in shock. Feeling his body start to stir, he reined in his thoughts. 'What is wrong with me? Not the time or the place.' Branch silently chastised himself.

"I think I'll go grab that coffee while you get dressed." Vic said as she held his gaze. After another moment staring into those blue eyes she looked down and turned toward the door quickly, embarrassed that she had admitted her gut reaction and at her poor timing.

As her hand grabbed the door handle she heard him clear his throat and softly say, "Okay."


	4. Chapter 4: Regret

After the doctor left Branch stared out the window considering what he should do now. Vic walked up and stood near him. She had been a comfort to him since she'd arrived. To say that was unexpected was an understatement. But then again he'd had quite a few surprises in a short period of time. First he figured out his father was behind the murder of Walt's wife, his father tried to kill him, and then there was Vic.

Turning to look down at her, Branch said, "At least I didn't kill him."

"No. I'm glad you don't have to live with that. You don't deserve that."

"Guess since I shot my own father, I might."

"He was trying to kill you. You do remember that part, right?"

"Yeah, I do. It wouldn't have bothered him but it does me. Even knowing who he is, what he's done. I still feel bad that I shot him."

"I don't."

"Vic,"

"No Branch. I don't. If you hadn't of shot him, you'd be dead. He's your father, I get that. I do but I'm not gonna be sad that you survived."

"He's my father. What if I turn out as cold hearted as him? Look at the things I've done to get what I want."

"Branch, you're not him. You don't have to be like him just because he's your father."

"What do I do now?"

"Now we'll just wait until he's stable so he can be transferred and held until trial but I think you should take a break and go home to rest."

They both turned to look at the opening door.

Walt stepped in and stood with his hat in his hand, "Wanted to come by and check on you, both of you."

"I'm fine." Branch said and turned to stare out the window again, "But Vic should go home and get some rest."

"I'm fine." Vic said, "Besides you don't need to be here alone."

"Thought about going home for a bit myself." Branch said.

"I can drive you." Walt offered.

Before Branch could respond Vic said, "I'm not on duty so I'll take you home."

Branch turned to meet Vic's eyes and it seemed like she anticipated his reluctance because the stubborn eyes that met his made it clear, Vic was indeed taking him home.

Looking over at Walt Branch said, "Looks like I've got a ride but thanks. I know it must be hard offering to help the son of the man who had your wife killed. I'm sorry Walt."

"You're not your father Branch."

"I was just tellin him that." Vic said.

"She's right." Walt said as he saw Branch about to argue the point, "Now how about you get your things and I walk you out."

"You mean make sure I don't change my mind and stay."

The corners of Walt's mouth turned up slightly, "Same thing."

Branch picked up the bag that held his bloody clothes, "Ready."

"That's it?"

"Yep. Just been waiting around," Branch looked at Vic softly, "being bossed around, didn't see the need in havin anything brought over to keep me busy." Walt nodded and opened the door. He knew better than to ask who had been bossing him around or giving the appearance that he could think Vic would be bossy.

Vic gave Branch a 'thanks a lot' look and stepped out of the room ahead of him. As they walked down the hallway Branch managed somehow to end up in the rear. As they approached the exit door Branch noted how Walt's hand instinctively came to Vic's lower back as he followed her out. He didn't think Walt even realized he did it. It spoke to their comfort with each other. He found himself wondering how comfortable they were together and quickly decided he didn't want to know. Edging that thought from his mind was the thought of why it bothered him anyway.


End file.
